Historical Flasks Connecticut Sunburst Flasks

ANOTHER "HISTORICAL FLASK ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

The first geometric flasks, those with sunburst and Masonic patterns were blown in about 1815. The first historical flasks, those commemorating a historical person or event were not blown until about 1824. Sunburst and Masonic flasks were blown at a number of glass houses during the approximate 1815-1830 period including two in Connecticut, the Pitkin Glass Works, East Hartford, and the Coventry Glass Works, Coventry. Historical flasks were also blown at these glass works.

In 1788 Connecticut granted the Pitkin Glass Works in Manchester a 25-year exclusive right to produce glass products in the State. They were also granted 10 years of tax-free status if they could produce their first product within three years. This was not accomplished. The founders, William Pitkin, Elisha Pitkin, and Samuel Bishop were granted this privilege because of financial and material contributions made by the Pitkin family in the Revolutionary War. J.P. Foster, who was superintendent, took over the Pitkin Glass Works in 1810 (ref.1). In 1823, it was renamed the Manchester Glass Works (ref.2). The early products included the Pitkin Flask, which was made by the German half post method. Although these are called Pitkin Flasks, they were also made at Keene, New Hampshire, as well as in Ohio (ref.3). Several prized flasks including the Jared Spencer and the JPF Eagle-Cornucopia were made at the Pitkin Glass Works (ref.2).

The success at Manchester led to the formation of a new glass house at a small post, called Coventry, approximately 18 miles east of Hartford. This house, which was established in 1813, became one of the most important glass houses in American history. Because of the 25 years exclusive right of producing glass, which had been granted to the Pitkin, Glass Works, no other glass house could operate in Connecticut until 1813. The Coventry Glass Works was organized by a citizens group following the trade upheaval, which resulted from the War of 1812. Little is known about its initial operation in 1813 until Thomas Stebbins took possession of the business in 1820. It was then operated for 10 years by Thomas Stebbins and his associates followed by Stebbins and Chamberlin. The last 18 years of operation were under Gilbert, Turner & Company until it closed in 1848 (ref.1).

The first American historical flasks, the Lafayette flasks to commemorate his visit to the United States, and the DeWitt Clinton flask honoring the Erie Canal, were blown at Coventry. Several Sunbursts as well as many other historical and geometric flasks have been attributed to the Coventry Glass Works including Railroads, Double Eagles, Washington-Jacksons, Masonics, and Cornucopia-Urns (ref.4, 5, 6).

Flasks have been attributed to the Coventry Glass Works by their embossing, historical research, and reports from digging the glass works site by Dr. Edwin Albee in the late 1800's and again in 1926 by Harry Hall White.

There was major rivalry between the Keene Glass Works and the Coventry Glass Works, which made them,

compete for glass quality. The Coventry Glass Works took pride in consistently producing the best possible glass and its glass products are considered as having some of the finest designs and metal of all the early American flasks.

The closure of the Connecticut as well as other New England houses was due to running out of wood fuel for the furnaces. This generally occurred in the New England area in the late 1840's. The major glass businesses then moved to the Pittsburgh area where natural gas had been discovered and was being used for fuel. This change in fuel along with different raw materials and more advanced melting technology resulted in the more refined colors in these later glass products. This later glass is often referred to as "Pittsburgh Glass".

The colors of the Connecticut flasks are primarily the natural occurring olive greens, olive ambers, and ambers, similar to those of the Keene-Marboro Street and other New England glass houses. The olive greens and ambers are the yellow or golden tones and range in density from medium to dark. The olive ambers result from chemistries in between the olive green and amber and have similar tones and densities. Although very rare, orange, red, and puce tone amber specimens characteristics of the Baltimore Glass houses, as well as colorless, aquamarine, and emerald green have been reported.

All these Pitkin Glass works and Coventry Glass works sunburst flasks were made with 2 piece molds, pontil scar and sheared mouths. No specimens with other than the sheared mouth and pontil scar bases have been reported in the literature nor were they observed during this study.

In general, the rarity (ref.7) of many of the sunbursts forms, as well as many other forms has been somewhat confused during the last few years by the breaking up of a number of major flask collections including: Gardner, Museum Sale, Austin, Blaske, Brown, etc. These collections have made available a large number of rare sunbursts and other flasks. Therefor, some flasks have been perceived as fairly common, when in fact, they are quite rare: e.g. the GVIII-11, one each from Blaske, Austin, Gardner; and GVIII-22, Gardner 2, Blaske 2, and Austin 3.

Three pint flasks attributed to New England and possibly the Pitkin Glass Works are the GVIII-5 (ref.8) (Figure 1), GVIII-5a (Figure 2), and GVIII-7 (Figure 3). These flasks look very similar to the GVIII-3, except that they have rounded shoulders.

Most GVIII-5 flasks (Photo 1) weigh about 9 ounces. However, flask specimens have been observed with very thin glass, weighing less than 6 ounces and thick glass weighing more than 12 ounces. These flasks are often very weakly embossed. A number of specimens were

observed with a linear depression in the side as shown in Photo 2. The depression looks like something had been in the mold when some

specimens were blown. Although the flask is usually observed in the New England colors, it was observed in a bluish forest green (Ex-Austin) and a light blue-green (Blaske Auction No. 663 (ref.9)). The desirable characteristics in this flask are the light colors, color variations, strong impressions, and either very thick or thin glass. This flask is more rare than might be expected because it has not been sought and is much rarer than the GVIII-3.

The GVIII-5a (photo 3) has a "ringed bull's-eye" circular center pattern in the weakly embossed. This is a very rare flask and has been observed in amber, olive amber, and golden yellow (Blaske auction No. 666).

The GVIII-7 (photo 4) has a round depression dot in the center and two circular dot depressions on the shoulder above the sunburst. This pattern is usually faintly present and on only one side of the flask. The circular dots are often faint. The GVIII-5a, and aGVIII-7 have a double wide corrugation with a small corrugation on either side of it at the point of the shoulder (Photo 5). This is a very rare flask and was observed in golden amber and olive amber.

There are three Sunburst flasks specifically attributed to the Coventry Glass Works. They are the GVIII-3 (Figure 4), GVIII-16 (Figure 5), and GVIII-18 (Figure 6).

The GVIII-3 (Photo 6), a pint form, has the general shape of the Keene "two pounders" (GVIII-1 and GVIII-2) but thinner glass and slightly smaller. The flask is also similar to the GVIII5 but has distinctly protruding winged shoulders. Although rare, there are specimens with an approximately 3/8 inch circular depression in the center on one side as shown in Photo 7. The more desirable flasks of this form are color variations and the lighter shades of olive green and amber. Although this flask has been reported in amethystine, I have not observed such specimens. This flask, which is one on my favorite sunburst forms, is more rare than one might assume because it has not been extensively sought.

The GVIII-6 (Photo 8), a one-half pint form, is one of the most common sunburst flasks. This flask has a number of fairly common anomalies including bulging shoulders (Photo 9), drooping sunburst patterns, and the base ring missing on one or both sides. These base variations appear to be common in this flask. These flasks are normally found in the New England colors, however, specimens have been reported in green and emerald green (Blaske Auction No. 679). Desirable features of this form are the light colors, green, emerald green, and other color variations, and anomalies from blowing such as bulged shoulders and rounded bases.

The GVIII-18 (Photo 10) is an extremely attractive one-half pint flask and also one of the most common sunbursts. Its shape is very similar to the pint sized GVIII-5. These flasks are normally found in New England colors. Although rare, it has been reported in orange and reddish tone ambers. The light colors are particularly spectacular in this flask.

The information presented has been based on literature research and examination of specimens. The Drawings in figures 1-6 were prepared from flask specimens by Theldon Parker III. The flasks pictured are from the authors collection.